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You won’t believe this vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe is dairy-free! It's decadently rich, creamy, and full of flavor and texture.
It's so good, it's often mistaken for classic mushroom soup and is a key player in this reader favorite vegan green bean casserole. The reviews make this soup speak for itself!
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Why you'll love vegan cream of mushroom soup
This velvety, creamy vegan cream of mushroom soup is a hit with everyone – you don’t have to be vegan to enjoy it! It’s so rich and smooth that even non-vegans are often surprised it’s plant-based.
What makes this soup even better is that it’s budget-friendly and made with mushrooms and pantry staples. It’s naturally gluten-free, with an easy option to use all-purpose flour if you prefer.
Even beginner cooks have successfully made this on their first try. Plus, it doubles as a versatile soup or sauce for your favorite dishes! If you're looking for vegan Thanksgiving recipes, I have a bunch of reader favorites in one spot!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Find ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card below.
- Olive Oil: You can use any cooking oil, like canola, coconut, or avocado oil.
- Mushrooms: I recommend white button or baby bella mushrooms, but portobello or any variety will work.
- Shallots: Milder than onions, shallots can be swapped for onions in this recipe.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best, but garlic powder can be used in small amounts if needed.
- Chickpea Flour: This natural soup thickener adds protein while keeping it gluten-free. You can try other gluten-free flours or use all-purpose flour as noted in the recipe.
- Dry Sherry: Adds depth of flavor; substitute with any cooking liquid if needed.
- Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk: Any non-dairy milk, such as coconut, oat, or soy milk, will work. However, I prefer to use almond milk for the flavor.
- Nutmeg: Adds a classic, nutty flavor.
- Salt and Pepper: Season to taste after cooking. This soup may taste bland until you add the right amount of salt.
- Optional: Cornstarch + Milk or Water: Use this to thicken the soup as a casserole base.
How to make vegan cream of mushroom soup
First, sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic over medium-high heat until very tender, stirring as needed.
Next, add the flour and stir until the vegetables absorb it. This is a roux.
Add the dry sherry to deglaze the pot. Then, add milk in very small amounts, whisking vigorously to ensure no lumps. Continue this process until all of the milk is used. Add the nutmeg. Then add salt and pepper to taste.
Bring everything just to a boil, whisking continuously. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the soup thickens to your liking.
Note: To use as condensed mushroom soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold milk or water, stir into hot soup, and cook 1–2 minutes to thicken.
Serve warm. To store, allow to cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days.
Test kitchen recipe tips
- Sauté the mushrooms well: Cook mushrooms until they release moisture and start to brown to deepen flavor.
- Flour color: The longer you brown the flour for the roux, the darker the soup will be. To keep the soup light in color, avoid over-browning the flour.
- Cooking liquid: Use any non-dairy milk of choice. For a lower-calorie option, substitute 1 cup of almond milk with vegetable broth.
- Avoid lumps: When adding milk to the vegetables, do it gradually and whisk quickly to prevent lumps, ensuring a smooth sauce.
- Don’t rush simmering: Let the soup simmer for at least 10-15 minutes to build the flavors and texture of this soup.
- Consistency: The soup thickens as it simmers. If it’s too thin, let it simmer to reduce. If it’s too thick, whisk in small amounts of liquid until you reach your desired consistency.
More vegan soup recipes
- White Bean and Kale Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Homemade Tomato Soup
- Kale Chickpea Soup
- Vegan Tortilla Soup
- Thai Coconut Soup
On a personal note: This vegan cream of mushroom soup recipe is dedicated to my mom who helped test and finalize it in my test kitchen back in 2009. Thanks, Mom, for helping me dial this one to perfection!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling (2x or 3x), the light gray ingredient amount doesn’t scale. Please adjust those accordingly.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 8 ounces Mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
- 1 small Shallot, minced (or ¼ cup Onion)
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup Chickpea Flour, or All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon Dry Sherry or Wine, optional
- 3 cups Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk, I prefer almond milk
- 1 pinch Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt, or more to taste
- Black Pepper, to taste
Optional
- Fresh Parsley, for garnish
- Cornstarch + Milk or Water, if using for casseroles
Instructions
Note: If using this recipe as canned cream of mushroom soup for a casserole, see footnote below *
- Heat the soup pot over medium heat. Add OLIVE OIL and warm until shimmering.
- Add MUSHROOMS, SHALLOT, and GARLIC. Sauté 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the moisture has been released from the mushrooms.
- Stir in FLOUR and cook 1–2 minutes to form a roux.
- Add (optional) DRY SHERRY and a splash of MILK, scraping the pot to deglaze any browned bits.
- Gradually whisk in remaining MILK to avoid lumps. Stir in NUTMEG.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
- Season with SALT and PEPPER. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Top with PARSLEY and serve warm with your favorite bread or crackers.
- To store, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- silicone spatula or any stirring utensil
Beth says
Love this recipe, we use it all the time as a sauce and also a base for green bean casserole. Wanted to let you know that we like it as written, but it is even better when I use cashew milk, (unsweetened) instead of almond milk, and add a couple of dashes of truffle oil at the end.
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it as much as we do. Yes, any plant based milk can be used and your adaptation sounds delicious. I'll have to try it sometime, but gosh I love that almond flavor lol. Thanks so much for your feedback! I really appreciate it. Enjoy!
Cait says
This was JUST THE THICKNESS and Delish I have been looking for every thanksgiving since going Vegan, 7 yrs ago!!!
My only tip for next time is to spice it up a bit, with poultry seasoning and garlic or celery salt, as the flavor didn't quite have enough umpf as I would have hoped. But a sure-fire winner none the less, and this is DEFINITELY going to be an annual go-to now!
(I was so excited from all the reviews etc that I made 9 servings--and let me tell you, I have NO problem eating this with some leftover Seitan roast for the rest of my fall semester!!) Thank you again!!!!
Traci says
Hi Cait, you're so welcome. I'm really glad you found your way to my recipe. As for adding flavor, I purposely used only shallot and garlic aromatics along with salt and pepper so that readers like yourself could season for the occasion any time of the year. Thanks for sharing your experience. Enjoy!
Kathy says
My DIL loves green bean casserole but we needed an alternative to the canned stuff.
This soup is our go to!! She looks forward to it every year and now when I want to make any casserole special I make this a day or two ahead.
Love it!!!
Traci says
I'm so happy to hear your family is enjoying this soup. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It makes it even more special, so thank you!
Cynthia says
Made this last night, delicious! Used coconut cream.
Traci says
Yay!! So glad to hear it. Thanks for the feedback. One of my all time favorites! Enjoy!
Peggy K. says
What a wonderful alternative to the usual cream of mushroom soup ! Five stars for sure !... I may add, I dry cook the mushrooms in a large skillet to remove the water, moving them around once you see the water droplets appear. What remains is a very tasty mushroom, minus the "gooshie" texture.
Such a quick and easy recipe too !!!
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you went for it and love it as much as we do! Yes, I've recently been introduced to dry cooking them. So cool! Thanks for sharing your feedback. Enjoy!!
Spnola13 says
Great flavor! I used coconut milk. My flour thinning skills need help so it’s a little gummy, but I think that will cook out in the green been casserole I plan on making. I bumped it up to 3C. Milk. It’s still very thick.
Traci says
Hiya! So glad you like the flavor, but 3 cups of milk should have had to exact opposite, in fact, it would be too liquidy. Is it possible you may have accidentally increased the flour amount?
Robyn says
Hi, can’t wait to try this recipe. Can I substitute almond flour/meal for the chickpea flour? If so, would it be a 1:1 substitute, ie 1/2cup?
Thanks!
Traci says
Hi Robyn, I don't recommend almond flour since it doesn't have the starch required to make it creamy. If there is another flour or bean flour you can work with, I recommend experimenting. Let me know if you have more questions. Enjoy!
Sharon says
Love this soup. My only suggestion is to double the ingredients. I always want more.
I’ve used chickpea flour, but also buckwheat which worked well.
Traci says
Yay! So glad you went for it 🙂 We love this one too! And you're right, I'll do that asap ... thanks for the suggestion and review. Much appreciated!
Jan says
This has been my go to cream of mushroom soup since I was fortunate enough to see it! I use this in several casseroles that have been passed down in my family. It is SUPER delicious and makes everything taste better! Thank you!!
The Kitchen Girl says
Jan, I'm so glad to have inspired this and I have to agree with you! It's still hard to believe it's vegan cream of mushroom soup lol! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your enjoyment 🙂 Much appreciated!
Colette says
Needed to make a kosher cream of mushroom soup to add to a turkey sausage stuffing recipe and this was perfect.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yayy! What a great way to use it 🙂 So glad you enjoyed and thanks for the feedback!
Emma says
Can this be canned? I'd love to make a big batch and have it for quick meal days.
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Emma, sorry but I don't have experience canning this soup, however you can freeze it. Let me know if you have questions about that. Thanks!
Consuella says
The recipe was quick and simple and I love the taste. For me and my daughter we had it over rice for my husband and other daughter they had the sauce poured over chicken and rice. All in all it was amazing. Thank you
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh nice, I'm so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! Thank you sooo much for this great feedback 🙂 I really appreciate it!
Chelsea says
I went vegan a year ago, two weeks before Thanksgiving. While I'd been a vegetarian for years, there were a LOT of holiday favorites I had no clue how to translate into a vegan recipe, and I was just about convinced there were certain things I was just going to have to say goodbye to all together. Mushroom soup was the base for a holiday favorite of mine (green bean casserole, of course) as well as my favorite dish year round, a family recipe for stroganoff. I was pretty bummed to think I'd never be able to have either again. So I gave this recipe a go at that first Thanksgiving, figuring it couldn't hurt to try, and oh my god, it's the best mushroom soup I've ever had, vegan or otherwise. I substitute oat milk for almond (nut allergy), and it always comes out creamy, delicious, and so comforting.
I made this just tonight in prep for tomorrow, and I just wanted to say thank you. I think the success I had with this first recipe really helped solidify my resolve and convince me that I could easily ditch the dairy. So, thank you very much!
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Chelsea, I'm sooo honored and happy to inspire your enjoyment of my recipe. I'm not vegan but I totally understand how you feel about this one 🙂 It hits me the exact same way LOL. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this note. I totally appreciate it! xoxo
Jeff says
I'm getting all excited for your famous vegan cream of mushroom soup for Thanksgiving dinner next week. It's so good, even a meat and potatoes guy like me can't tell it's vegan. Outstanding!
The Kitchen Girl says
This is making me get excited for it too! Thank youuuuuu!
Randino Del Rosario says
Thank you so very much for posting this. It's been a rainy day and I figured I'd make this today. It came out absolutely perfect. I am highly allergic to cow's milk. My system cannot break down the sugars in lactose and ends up collecting in my lungs. Making it very hard to breathe. This "creamy" mushroom soup brought me right back to my happy childhood memories. Homemade definitely beats Cambell's any day!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesommmmme! I'm so glad to hear this 🙂 It's one of my favorite soups too. In fact, I prefer vegan cream of mushroomm soup over any other these days. Thanks for the feedback!
Jamie M. says
Made this tonight, and LOVED it. Thank you for the recipe. I followed your exact recipe, because I am not a great chef lol, and it was perfect. I am so excited for tomorrow’s leftovers and to use for green bean casserole!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Jamie! So glad you love vegan cream of mushroom soup as much as I do 🙂 It's an oldie but goodie recipe here on the blog. Glad it founds its way into your kitchen Thanks for the feedback!
Ann & says
Can I use chopped carrots, parsnip, and celery also in this soup?
The Kitchen Girl says
Sure, but you'll want to saute them before sauteeing the mushrooms to make sure they get soft enough. Does that make sense?
Brooks says
For Heath reasons, we have to have a gluten-free, dairy-free diet in our house. The thought of childhood recipes with cream of mushroom soup were long gone. Then I came across your recipe. The soup is absolutely amazing! We have already used it in a couple of recipes and are brainstorming other kinds of cream soups we can now make.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yeahhhh! I'm so glad you found the recipe. It really does solve some problems, doesn't it? Thank you for taking the time to let me know Also, check out my vegan recipes ... many are GF too!
KBeck says
Awesome recipe!! Made 2 different batches (one with Cremini and one with white button mushrooms) both are amazing and I can’t wait to use them for the vegan green bean casserole! Yum! Highly recommend. 🙂
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! I'm so glad to inspire these for you. I love it that you'll use them in the VGBC too Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback
SHARON says
Just made this soup and it is amazing! Does it freeze well? I cook with cream of mushroom soup frequently and would like to have it on hand for a quick meal.
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Sharon, I'm so glad you enjoyed this! You can freeze this cream of mushroom like you would any other soup. During reheat, if it's too thick, add a splash of liquid. If it's too thin, whisk together a little flour and liquid, add it to the soup, and heat on medium, stirring as needed. Hope you love it just as much. Cheers!
Nancy Lavoie says
I have been trying to recreate my sister-in-laws broccoli casserole since becoming vegan. That is how I came upon your blog and I'm so glad I did. I made your recipe for cream of mushroom soup with the dry sherry (I'm with you, the sherry adds to the overall flavor) and followed her recipe for the casserole. It came out amazing. I've made it several times in the last few days because it tasted so good and I want to share it with others. The last time I made the cream of mushroom soup, I decreased the flour to four tablespoons to see how it would come out after being in the fridge overnight. To my delight it was perfectly creamy. I love your recipe because you can tweak it depending on what you are making or make it as is, and it tastes delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. I'm sending you a very big virtual hug.
Nancy
The Kitchen Girl says
You are so welcome, Nancy! I'm so glad this cream of mushroom soup recipe found its way into your kitchen, esp since you have become vegan 🙂 Glad you're finding multiple uses for it! I love your detailed feedback ... thanks for taking the time
Donna Marsh says
By far, my favorite soup recipe! I make extra, to have just for enjoying, when I make it for your awesome green bean casserole! Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, Donna! I'm sooo glad to inspire you and be a part of your holiday happiness Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback. Much appreciated! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours
Angie says
Really tasty!! Thanks!
I made this to use in a casserole and will definitely also be eating it just on it's own with some crusty bread.
Delicious.
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay Angie! So glad you enjoyed it! Vegan cream of mushroom soup really is so versatile. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!
Sadiya says
Yum yum yummmmm! This is my first time making cream of mushroom soup (and tomorrow will be my first time making green bean casserole), and it is DELISH. Looking forward to seeing how the casserole turns out 🙂
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh yayy, Sadiya! Well, I can tell you that if you feel that way about this vegan cream of mushroom soup, you'll probably be gaga over the casserole too. They're sooo good together, esp with the caramelized onions...or fried onions yummm. Hope you love it! Thanks for the feedback and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours
Michelle D says
Has anyone tried almond flour for this recipe? Did it work? New to vegan, dairy, and gluten free.
Thank you.
The Kitchen Girl says
Hi Michelle, I have not tried almond flour and probably wouldn't recommend it. I believe you won't get a creamy consistency with it. You could use a GF all purpose flour or perhaps another legume flour. Hope that helps 🙂